Binder



May 27, 1952 c E. EMMER 2,598,044

BINDER Filed April 20, 1946 352E212 Zar ///7e1.s [ow/mp EMMEE p wa/ ww Patented May 27, 1952 BINDER Charles Edward Emmet, Chicago, 111., vassignor to General Binding Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 2.6, 1946, Serial ;No.- 553,73

This invention relates to a binder having prongs for impa'ling sheets and arranged in .00- operating pairs to provide closed rings for hinging the sheets together in book formation. Specifically this invention deals with a loose-leaf binder composed of superimposed plates or strips having leaf impaling cooperating prongs spaced along their outer edges together with pin and slot means connecting the strips or plates to direct the cooperating prongs toward and away from each other and wherein at least one of the strips has projections along its outer edge between the prongs for holding material impaled on the prongs at a level above the other strip so that movement of the other strip cannot result in sandwiching of the material between the strips.

A feature of the invention therefore resides in the provision of leaf supporting means on a sliding strip-type loose-leaf binder for holding the leaves in out-of-the-way position whenever the binder is actuated between its opened and closed stations. In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least one of the strips of an impaling prong type binder has upstanding tabs between the-prongs along the outer edge thereof to define with their upper edges a series of spaced supports for sheets of paper or the like that are impaled on the prongs to hold these sheets at levels above the cooperating strip so that this cooperating strip can be freely moved without jamming or wedging the sheets between the strips. If desired both strips can be formed with these support forming projections or tabs to hold the sheets above both strips but the purpose of this invention can be carried out by providing the projections or tabs only on the bottom strip to hold the sheets free of the top strip.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of one or more cooperating prongs on the strips of the binder which engage each other before the strips are moved to their fully closed position. This initial engagement brings about a flexing of the engaged prongs as the strips are further moved toward their closed positions and this :flexing provides a friction lock holding the strips in :closed position. This feature of the invention thereby provides a resilient closure lock for the binder without requiring additional :parts.

It is thenran object of this invention to provide a. binder composed of shiftable superimposed plates or strips having cooperating leaf 'impal ing prongs on the outer edges thereof and equipped with leaf supporting projections .to pre- 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-1)) vent Jamming or wedgins of sheets impaledon thepron fi when the strips or plates are actuated between open and closed positions.

A still further object .of the invention to pro- *vide a lose-leaf binder composed of superimposed prong equipped plates and having leaf-supportins projections between the pron to ho Sheets impaled on the prongs in spaced relation above the shiftable plates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loose-leaf binder composed of two superimposed strips .slidably connected by cam and pin means and having leaf impaling prongs along their outer edges together with projections between the prongs for holding the inner edges of sheets in spaced relation above relatively movable parts to prevent jamming or 'wedging of the sheets when the plates are shifted between open and :closed positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loose-leaf binder composed of superimposed prong equipped plates wherein at least some of the prongs are arranged to provide engaging pairs before .theplates are shifted to completely closed positions for deflection of the prongs to provide .a friction lock holding the plates in closed position.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of a preferred example, illustrates two embodiments of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a notebook equipped with a binder according to this invention and illustrating the binder in closed .or locked position.

Figure .2 is a. transverse cross sectional view, taken along the line 11-111 of Fig. 1.

Figure ;3..i.s a broken plan view of the binder of this invention in fully closed position.

FigureA is a v'iewsimilar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the .binderinfullyopen position.

Figure 5 is .a .view similar to Figs. 1 to a but illustrating the binder in a position intermediate open and closed position.

.Figurefi is a v.iew-.sim-ilar to Fig. .2 butillustrating a modified binder accordingto this invention.

Eigure 17 is a-view similar to Fig. 3 but illus- -tratins:zthe modified binde i f gvAs shown 501143118 drawings;

Elfhe binder liflof Figs. 1 #005 includes a bottom strip 1;] and 'aatopzistrip +2 slidablethereon. The

strips are preferably composed of metal although plastic material or the like can be used in place of metal. The top strip l2 has several slots l3 at spaced intervals along its length. These slots include inclined portions |3c at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the strip and end portions |3b ofiset relative to the inclined portions |3a. The portions |3b preferably extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip |2. Pins M are anchored in the bottom strip H and extend through the slots I3. Rivet heads I la are provided on the pins M to slidably retain the strip |2 on the strip I Relative sliding movement of the strips is guided by the slots to shift the strips laterally as they are moved longitudinally. The slots act as cams for guiding movement of the strips between opened and closed positions as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The top strip l2 has an upturned end portion |5 at one end thereof adapted to be manually grasped for shifting the strip relative to the bottom strip.

The bottom strip H has several holes 16 at spaced intervals along its length. The top strip |2 has holes H "of larger diameter arranged to overlie the holes Hi When the strips are in closed position as shown in Fig. 3. Rivets or the like fastening devices l8 anchor the bottom strip H to a binder cover l9. These fastening devices l8 are readily accessible through the larger holes I? in the top strip l2 and can be spread, headed, or

otherwise engaged to connect the cover to the binder assembly. The hole IS in the bottom strip preferably has a downwardly dimpled mouth so that the rivet or fastener I8 will have its head flush or below the top face of the strip H and will not interfere with sliding movement of the top strip i2 on this top face.

The superimposed strips [I and I2 have leaf or sheet impaling prongs 20 and 2|, respectively, along their outer edges. These prongs extend upwardly and inwardly from the strips and are arranged in cooperating pairs to provide sheet retaining rings when the binder is in closed position. Thus the prongs 20 have rounded ends 20a overlying the longitudinal mid-portion of the strip I! while the prongs 2| have rounded ends 2|a overlying the longitudinal mid-portion of the strip |2.

Leaves such as 22 are readily impaled on the prongs 2i] and have rows of holes 23 along one edge thereof for receiving the prongs therein. The rounded edges 28a and 21a of the prongs facilitate insertion of the prongs in the holes 23 without presenting sharp edges tending to damage the holes.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 when the binder is in closed position the ends 2011 of all of the prongs 20 are in tight engagement with the mating ends 21a of all of the prongs 2| and a series of closed hoops or rings is provided for binding the sheets 22 in book form. In this closed position of the binder the pins l4 are seated in the. ends |3b of the slots |3 that are adjacent the outer edge of the strip l2. When it is desiredto open the binder, the flange |5a of the strip I2 is pulled downwardly as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3 to effect a shifting of the strip l2 on the strip N. This movement releases the pins M from the ends I317 of the slot |3 in which they are seated and causes the pins to guide the strip l3 along the inclined portion |3a of the slot thereby translating longitudinal movement of the strip l2 into partial lateral or transverse movement and spreading the strips H and i2 apart as shown in Fig. 4. In this position the pins M are seated in the ends |3b of the slots l3 that are closest to the inner edge of the strip l2 and the prongs 2i] and 2| are laterally separated and are longitudinally offset relative to each other.

In order to bring about retention of the binder H) in the closed position as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in accordance with an important feature of this invention some of the prongs 20 and 2| such as the top two prongs shown in Fig. 5 are arranged to project beyond the longitudinal center lines of their plates II and i2 so that the inner edges 20a and 2|a of cooperating pairs of prongs will abut each other before the binder reaches fully closed position. As shown in Fig. 5 the pin M has not yet been seated in the end |3b of the slot l3 but the mating ends of the top two pairs of prongs have already been brought into engagement. Further movement of the strips to closed position thereby brings about a flexing of the mated together prongs since their mated ends must ride on each other to reach the apices of the rounded edges thereof. The prongs are springy and will deflect under spring load to permit full closing of the binder but the spring load places lateral tension on the pins It and causes the pins to frictionally engage the slot portions |3b along the inner sides thereof. This arrangement provides an efficient friction lock for re-. taining the binder in closed position. The lock is readily opened by a manual pull on the flanged end |5a of the top strip |2.

Alternately if desired all of the mating prongs 2B and 2| can be brought into engagement before the pins 4 are fully seated in the outer ends |3b of the slots |3 to bring about the friction locking arrangement but it is not necessary to so engage all of the prongs because the friction lock can be brought about with one or more preengaged sets of prongs.

vIn accordance with another important feature of this invention the bottom strip i i has upturned tabs 24 along its outer edge between the prongs 20 thereof. These tabs 24 extend to a level which is above the top face of the top strip l2 as shown in Fig. 2. The upper edges of the tabs or projections 24 support the sheets 22 that are impaled on the prongs 20 so that the portions of these sheets which overlie the binder are maintained in spaced relation above the top strip l2. Shifting of the top strip l2 is therefore not impeded by any of the sheets which are retained by prongs of the binder. As also shown in Fig. 2, the sheets 22 impaled on the prongs 2| of the top plate l2 overlie the plate l2 and may ride on the heads Ida of the pins carried by the bottom strip Therefore these heads Ma, in the opening and closing movements of the binder, will move relative to the sheets 22 impaled on the prongs 2|. Ordinarily, the pins Ma have rounded heads which readily accommodate sliding movement of the sheets thereover.

The projections or tabs 24 are readily formed simultaneous with the formation of the prongs 20 and can be provided on the strip without added cost because they are formed from metal that would ordinarily be scrapped off of the strip II when it is stamped.

If desired, and shown in the binder Iila of Fig. 6 and 7, both of the strips can be provided with sheet supporting projections or tabs. In Figs. 6 and 7 parts identical with parts described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 have been marked with the same reference numerals. The binder |0a operates in the same manner as the binder I0 but the top strip (2 is equipped with upwardly extending tabs or projections 25 similar to the projections 24 of the bottom strip ll so that the sheets 22 impaled on the prongs 2| of the top strip will be held clear of the rivet head Ma. The projections 25 need not be as high as the projections 24, as shown in Fig. 6, to hold sheets 22 impaled on the prongs 2| at the same level as the sheets 22 impaled on the prongs 20 because the projections 24 must extend from the bottom strip. Both sets of projections have upper edges at levels sufficiently above the top face of the top strip 12 to hold the inner edges of the sheets 22 free from relatively movable parts when the binder is shifted between open and closed positions.

From the above descriptions, it will be understood that this invention provides a loose-leaf ring type binder composed of shiftable superimposed plates or strips having leaf impaling prongs arranged in cooperating pairs some of which mate with each other before the binder is completely closed to provide a friction lock for the binder and wherein at least one of the strips has tabs or projections thereon for supporting sheets free from relatively movable parts as the binder is moved between its open and closed positions.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A loose leaf binder comprising two superposed plates having a plurality of integral flat resilient mating prongs extending in a curve upwardly from the plane of said plates, said prongs having forwardly rounded end portions normally projecting beyond the longitudinal median of said plates, means including headed pin and cam slot elements connecting said plates for relative diagonal and longitudinal movements in the opening and closing operations of said binder, the prongs on one plate first engaging the prongs on the other plate in the closing operation of said binder near the upper limit of relative diagonal movement of said plates, further relative diagonal movement of said plates initially flexing said prongs as the rounded end portions thereof are engaged, the succeeding longitudinal movement of said plates causing the rounded ends of said prongs to ride upon each other until their apices abut to form spring-loaded leaf-retaining loops, the cam and pin elements frictionally engaging each other through the spring loading of said loops to look the plates together to form said binder.

CHARLES EDWARD EMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 503,959 Hasting et a1. Aug. 29, 1893 763,176 Gresham et a1. June 21, 1904 357,371 Walker June 18, 1907 1,000,649 Walker Aug. 15, 1911 1,820,222 Guyatt Aug. 25, 1931 2,212,330 Steele Aug. 20, 1940 2,239,958 Gibson Apr. 29, 1941 2,367,687 Phillips Jan. 23, 1945 

